The Things That Were
by Eva Amaranth
Summary: Sasuke is remembering what life was like before he left, will his thoughts keep him from going over the edge? or serve as the final factor in his sanity? Full Summary inside!
1. Prologue

**Things that were**

Disclaimer: I do not own anything or anyone but the plot and the storyline.

Rating: M for Character death and implied smut.

Pairing: SasuNaru (Sasuke/Naruto)

Summary: Sasuke is recalling facts about his life that he isn't proud of. Most of them being him running away when Naruto needed him the most. Will memories of his lover keep him from the final step towards not feeling any pain? Or push him over the edge into oblivion? And how does his death affect Uzamaki Naruto? Read and find out!

I blame the plot bunnies they would not by any means leave me alone! And this is what came out of it! Enjoy damn you!

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Prologue

"I love you…" Three words spoken on a soft breath, barley audible to an untrained ear. My once cold onyx eyes now gaze tenderly at the object of my affection. Soft sapphire blue eyes gazed back into mine. Did they mirror the same emotions that I felt? I looked away, raven bangs concealing my eyes from his view.

"Sasuke…" He murmured, his voice breathing and showing his confusing. I didn't need to see him; I could tell that he was frowning. So he didn't feel the same, yet here he was trying to bring me back to Konoha-gakure. I couldn't understand it.

"Sakura wants you to come back…" Typical. He was in love with _her_ not I. It could never be, could it? No matter how hard I tried…He would never love me back…Everything I'd done was for him…I risked my life, countless times just for _him_ but still he remained oblivious to my feelings. I stepped back and shook my head.

"Naruto your such a moron!" I shouted before taking off. He didn't follow, even if he had, I didn't hear or know, hell I didn't care anymore. Slowly, I came to a stop, eyes welling up with tears. After everything we'd been through in the past, I thought he had loved me back. Apparently, I was wrong, oh so wrong. He never felt the way I did, did he? It sickened me to no end. I shook my head, tears cascading down my cheeks like rain. I felt empty, torn, and above all, alone. Did he know how much he meant to me? I guess…..I will never find out…

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Yes it is short, I know, forgive the small Prologue, but the rest will be better and possibly longer than this. So please read on and enjoy! 


	2. Unfortunate Reunion

Ah yes the wonderful first chapter, where Naruto decides to take matters into his own hands. Yeah slight SPOILERS if you have not gotten up to the first part of the hurricane chronicles (Shippuden) Anywho, Enjoy!

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Chapter one: Unfortunate Reunion

I smirked as my explosive trap went off. Standing up, I looked into the area the trap had destroyed. Were the leaf ninja still after me? Apparently, of this boy was suicidal. I rolled my eyes, about to speak when a pink-haired female ran out, looking at the male who had been following me. Wait…was that…it couldn't be. She looked more mature that the last time I had seen her, those two and a half years ago. But I had to make sure…

"Sakura, huh?" I spoke loudly, making sure my voice carried down to her. The female froze and slowly looked up at me. My smirk faded as a blond male came running up, catching the females words which caught in the wind.

"…Sas….uke-kun…" The blond quickly followed her eyes towards me, a gasp reached my ears.

"Naruto…" I muttered, eyes narrowed darkly. He blinked before looking away.

"Why…" He spoke, voice soft. "Why didn't you kill me then?" I narrowed my eyes even more so at the question, he had no idea.

"I couldn't bring myself too…not after everything." I spoke calmly, my voice betraying what I truly felt inside. He growled and glared up at me.

"Sasuke…" I sighed before quickly jumping down, closing the distance. When I landed, my arm was around his shoulders.

"You have all this time to come chase after me, shouldn't you be training? You wanted to become the Hokage correct?" I spoke softly, glancing at him from the corner of my eye.

"Can someone who can't save the one he loves, become the Hokage?" He paused. " What do you think…Sasuke?" This struck me as odd. What did he mean? Sakura was alive was she not?

"Hmm…What ever do you mean?" I questioned, turning my head to gaze into those beautiful sapphire eyes I longed for.

"Sasuke, I didn't know my feelings then, but…I love you...And...I couldn't save you because of my stupidity…" He spoke softly, his eyes averting from mine to gaze at the ground. Wait…He…He loved me? But hadn't he denied that he loved me before? Didn't he love Sakura?

"Naruto-kun?" I murmured, my tone showing my confusing. "You…love me?"

"Hai, I always have...I just…I was in denial… I never thought you'd feel the same…Dattebayo…" He murmured, raising his gaze to meet mine. Was he…crying? Or were my eyes deceiving me?What surprised me more was when his lips touched mine, gently, timidly, almost as if he were afraid that this wasn't real. My surroundings melted away as I leaned into him, pressing my lips back against his. The warmth spreading through me felt so unreal, so…passionate. Sadly, it was over as soon as it began, and he pulled back.

"Sasuke…Come back to us…" He whispered, but knew all too well that I could not go back, not now…not ever.

"You know I can't go back.." I whispered before pulling away from him and running, I couldn't let myself become weak…I couldn't stay with him, maybe I never was supposed to. This time, I knew he wasn't following me. I'd sealed my fate to be alone…forever…or so I might think. There was a way to escape my pain, but I couldn't bring myself to do it, or could I? All it would take was a small step…or push to help get over the edge of insanity and depression.

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Yeah depressing, and I might not have some parts right, but this is something I created in about 15 minutes during my chemistry class….so yeah….. 


	3. Final Meeting  The last Goodbye

Okay, so yeah, here's the third and saddest chapter I have written, after this will be the epilogue. And then I am done and can get back to work on my story Unfaithful at any rate, here it is!!

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**Chapter Two: Final Meeting – The Last good-bye**

Some say that before you die, you begin to recall what turns your life took. I know now that they weren't lying. Here I stand on the edge of a cliff, gazing down at the crashing waves below. My life, is full of change, hate, love, betrayal, and depression. Nothing fancy. It's short lived and dull. Love was created and destroyed, things stolen that I can never get back.

I can still remember how he looks, despite how it's been over seven years since I last saw him. No matter how much I wanted to, I can't forget those beautiful sapphire eyes, or that soft sunny blond hair of his. The way he moved, how warm his lips felt against mine, his perfectly tanned skin glistening with sweat, chest rising and falling evenly as he slept. I can't forget him, my love still rages on like a Phoenix's flame that will never extinguish. Tears now roll freely down my cheeks, the only remaining sign of my humanity.

I can't live with myself, I ran away when he confessed, when he truly needed me...I turned away. The very blood that runs through my veins longs for him, his touch, his body, his…Love.

You might think I'm crazy, but I regret running away. Though I didn't show it, I loved him with every fiber of my being. My thoughts are broken by footsteps, nearly silent, but steady, approaching from behind me. Without thinking, I turn to face him, the one that I long for, and the one that I ran from.

"Naruto…" I whisper, his sapphire eyes look broken and have long since been cold and distant. He only watches me silently, warily. His words caught on a soft breath, and carried on the murmur of the wind.

"No more running…" No. There will be no more running, he's an illusion of my senses, he hasn't come after me since the last confrontation. A lost memory in a shattered heart. I am alone, I always was.

"No more, please, come back to me…" He whispered again. Oh how I wanted to, but he wasn't really here, like all of the other times that I saw this same illusion. He was merely the one sliver of sanity that kept me from going over the edge, the nightmare that haunted my dreams and even my waking mind.

"You're not real…" I whisper softly, lowering my onyx eyes to the ground, I was seconds away from escaping all of my pain, only for another illusion to rub salt in wounds that have never healed.

"Sasuke…It's really me...I tracked you down, I needed to find you." He whispered, stepping towards me and cautiously, but securely, wrapping his arms around me. I froze and tensed, feeling the heat radiating off of him. This couldn't be true, he wasn't here...Pushing him off, I stepped back, only to lose my footing on the cliff wall behind me, causing myself to fall back. My eyes widened in horror as I fell, this was it, wasn't it?

"Sasuke! No!" I heard him scream, his tone terrified and frantic. So this is what fate decided for me, ironic really. A soft smile graced my lips as I plunged down towards the rocky bottom of the cliff, towards my demise. It's funny what twists your last moments take. Such as allowing me to see Naruto once more before I died. In a way, I wouldn't blame him if he jumped down after me, part of me wished he would, I wouldn't be so alone in the place I'm going to. My life, wasn't always like this, at one time, I was truly happy, when I didn't have these problems…back when I was young and naïve, unsure of the world, and believing in everything…back when I actually thought that life couldn't get any worse, when I thought that life wasn't going to stop.

Suddenly and quite abruptly, I heard a cracking, and a searing pain spread throughout my body, first I saw crimson, slowly brightening out to white, the color blinded my vision and everything seemed to stop, before slowly the white faded out to black. The last sound that I heard, was the waves, peaceful, placid, and calming, though, in the distance, caught on the gentle breeze, I could hear him sobbing, mourning for me.

Life is unexpected, you cannot predict it. All I have left to dwell on in my death, are the things that were. The beautiful memories that make me pray that I hadn't fallen, pray that I was in his arms right now. The only regret that I have, is that he is still living alone, without the one he loved. Mistakes are difficult to get over, especially when you have an eternity to think about them, and wonder what the person you hurt the most in your last moments is doing. Though, in a way, I'm happy that he doesn't have someone like me to drag him down.

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Well here it is. Hope you liked it! The next chapter will be the Epilogue, and it will be written in Naruto's P.O.V seeing as Sasu-chan is dead! –sobs- any how …. Read and Review!! 


	4. Epilogue

Yes I know I need to quit procrastinating and update what I need to xD

Anyway! Here is the last chapter of this fic. It just gets more depressing so yeah…

Those who are reading Unfaithful and Romeo and Juliet from me, I will be updating those soon as well, hopefully.

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**Epilogue**

** Naruto's POV**

I sighed quietly, gazing up at the stars, how they shimmer in unison with the universe. It didn't surprise me. After all, everything burns brightly before fading out of existence. I should know this from experience. My wife lies asleep in our room, while I stand out here and gaze up, wondering if you're gazing down on me. If only life wasn't this cruel. If only you were still here with me. If only you could see what I've become. I chased my dream and finally captured it! Yeah, I became the Hokage. I married Hinata after she confessed her love for me. I couldn't resist, so if you're scolding me, I understand.

I shake my head and gaze out at the village, so peaceful when shrouded in the darkness of night. Not a soul stirs; silence captivates me, and yet forces me to think of you.

A soft breath is caught on the wind as I speak to myself, or is it to you? I don't really know anymore. 5 years without you and this is what happens.

" Sasuke…I had the strangest dream last night." I murmured quietly, as if you're standing right beside me. You're still alive. Hah! I need to quit fooling myself; I watched them drag your mangled body up from the bottom of the seaside cliff. I saw for myself the way your skull had cracked open, revealing the fleshy contents of your battered brain. Oh how much I wanted to throw myself off that cliff with you.

" You were in it again. This time, I jumped after you. " I state softly, closing my eyes and allowing my tears to fall freely. I can hardly believe that you're really gone. Despite how long it's been. You're still an open wound that will never heal over time. How can I forget someone like you? You were the first one to notice me, to accept me for what I was.

" ….You know…in a way…you're still here with me. I can feel you everywhere I go. Maybe…. Maybe you're not gone. But sealed within my heart." I murmured quietly. I swear I can hear your voice carrying on the wind, speaking softly as you insult me teasingly.

" ..You idiot, how can you say something like that!" I can hear you chide. But no. Imagination is all that you are at this point. I look down at the ground from the balcony of my abode. How far would it take to kill me so I could be with you? I shouldn't be thinking like this. I shouldn't. But I can't help it if I wish to be with you.

" ..Sasuke….you opened my heart….and closed it off…..Why have you been so cruel?" I question, hot salted tears streaming down my whiskered cheeks. How come you're still fresh in my mind!? I can't stop thinking about you and it's killing me inside! I shake my head and wipe my eyes before climbing on top of the railing of the balcony; a small smile curls on my lips, more tears already falling as I look up at the night sky.

" …Uchiha…Sasuke. I want to be with you……Ill see you on the other side…" With those simple words spoken I step off of my current standing, I can feel myself falling, falling, falling…but I feel no pain as I hit the ground, my vision instantly going black as I hear a scream above me. Had….Had I just betrayed the one who had put so much faith in me….just like you had me? Slowly I feel my thoughts sliping, my grip on what I am or where I am slowly slipping and fading, entill I can no longer hear my own thoughts. All I am able to get out….is one small statement.

_Sasuke, I love you._

**END**

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Finally! Yes I know, I suck at updating and this chapter probably sucks, but hey, Gimme a break XD But anyhow, tell me how you enjoyed it and I might write another SasuNaru short one like this one but fluffier if you'd like.

R&R Or I will send the souls of Sasuke and Naruto after you!!


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